Disicipline of Slaves

This was in full accord with Gorean law. Indeed, anything, for whatever reason, or without a reason, may be done to a slave."

- GUARDSMAN OF GOR, Pg. 115

While the slave who is found pleasing will often be treated well, a slave who is found lacking in any way, no matter how minute, is swiftly and very effectively corrected. Gorean masters are not accustomed to "settling," they know what they want and they expect it, especially from that which they own. Even a preferred girl will not find herself immune to the lash, for regardless of a master's affections, the most prized girl is corrected much the same as the least, if not even held to a higher standard of perfection and discipline.

Punishment can manifest itself in many forms, and can be evoked by any degree of insolence or displeasure, or even for no reason other then the master's whim. How punishment is carried out is often dependent upon the causative occurrence, the mood of the master, and what he is trying to achieve through the discipline. Goreans believe heavily in conservation of effort, meaning that they don't just "do" things without purpose. If a girl is to be disciplined, through it she is corrected, shown what will happen to her if she fails again, and often is taught a productive lesson through the actual punishment. The most is gotten out of the most effective way of handling a situation.

Goreans are also not wasteful, meaning that punishment, for the most part, will not permanently damage or disfigure the girl. Such things as "penalty brands" and "ear notching" do occur for certain infractions such as theft, but to a Gorean, marking or maiming a girl is counter productive and purposeless, excepting extreme circumstance. It makes no sense to mar the beauty of a girl you are trying to bring the beauty out of, and if the girl is that undesirable to you, sell her to another who might enjoy her more. It makes even less sense to keep something that you do not like or want, especially when the object has value that can be used towards the purchase of something else. She is not a "girlfriend" who has angered or spurned you and now demands your petty revenge, she is only a slave, an animal, an object, and as such can be passed on like any other thing that one grows weary of. Discipline and punishment on Gor, again, take a very logical and purposeful form, coinciding and complimenting the subject's overall training. It is not unknown for Gorean men to simply whip a girl because they themselves are angry about some outside thing, but this in itself also holds purpose, as it both releases the agression of the master, and again shows the girl that no matter how valued, she is still only a prized, rightless animal. Sometimes a man will beat a girl and not tell her why, leaving her own mind to fill in the blanks with things she knows she has done wrong. Things the master may or may not even truly know of.

There are no Laws defining how a slave may be punished or limiting the options involved, rather the Law supports the right of the owner to discipline his girl in any manner he chooses, no matter how extreme. Furthermore, the Laws of most cities support the punishment of an insolent or displeasing girl by any Free Person, regardless of ownership, so long as the property is not damaged or destroyed. Such is done to ensure that the girl is kept in a constant state of very real slavery, and does not slack when not under her master's eyes. Gorean owners are not offended by this, so long as appropriate, but rather see such as beneficial to the betterment of their property, for it insures the girl does not forget her place, keeping such continually in her mind and making her very aware of who is free and who is not.

It should be added that Gorean Masters commonly do not damage or destroy their property, or that of others. While this is possible, Goreans on the whole are very reasonable thinkers. A damaged slave cannot serve as well and loses value. A dead slave is worthless. So while these things could happen on Gor, and do, they are by far not the normal solutions to a disciplinary problem, especially a simple one. Starvation, deprivation of sex and general attention, confinement, humiliation, and the whip are all far more reasonable choices for a start. Gorean masters well understand the concept of self-mastery, and while a girl may anger them, the subject is still only a slave and no reason to lose one's self-control over. In the case of the property of another, it should be kept in mind that the girl, the object, is owned by another man just as any article of worth, and may well be valued by him. The Property Laws of most cities forbid the destruction or damage of something that is owned by another. A girl may be punished for insolence, but the wanton destruction of another man's property is not acceptable, and is not normal practice. If such does occur as a matter of accident or in rare circumstance that it is necessary and fitting, the one responsible is expected to pay the market value of the girl to the former owner. But again, such violation of another man's property is not something that men do out of habit or for any sort of entertainment. If it happens, as most anything to a Gorean, it has a valid reason.

"Insubordination in any form, of any sort, in even the tiniest, least significant degree, is not accepted from slave girls by their Gorean masters."

- PLAYERS OF GOR, Pg. 227

"It is one thing to be subject to the whip, and to know that that subjection is quite real, that the master can, and will, whip you, and well, if you are not pleasing, and something else to be actually whipped."

- MERCENARIES OF GOR, Pg. 420

"The whip on Gor, incidentally, though it is much in evidence, is seldom used. That it will be used, and promptly, if the occasion arises, is perhaps, paradoxically perhaps, why it seldom needs to be used."

- VAGABONDS OF GOR, Pg. 21

"Excellent slaves are seldom beaten, for there is little, if any, reason to do so."

- MAGICIANS OF GOR, Pg. 124

"I generally feel that pain, at least generally, should not be inflicted on a slave unless it is meaningful. There can, of course, be a point to generalized discomfort, even of a rather trivial nature."

- RENEGADES OF GOR, Pg. 326

"Perhaps it should only be added that the Gorean Master, though strict, is seldom cruel. The girl knows, if she pleases him, her lot will be an easy one. She will almost never encountered sadism or wanton cruelty, for the psychological environment that tends to breed these diseases is largely absent from Gor. This does not mean that she will not expect to be beaten if she disobeys, or fails to please her Master."

- OUTLAW OF GOR, Pg. 53

"The major point of the restraint is to restrain not hurt. Indeed, pain can interfere with many of the diverse subsidiary values of restraints, physical and psychological. It can be distractive. Pain is a bit like the whip. The slave is subject to the whip, and truly subject to it, but this does not mean that she is necessarily whipped; that she could be whipped, and will be whipped, if she is not pleasing, is what is important, not that she need be whipped. Why should one beat a pleasing slave?"

- RENEGADES OF GOR, Pg. 327

"'She is a slave,' I said. 'Anything could be done with her.''By her master,' he said. 'Not just anyone.''True,' I said. One did not have the right, for example, to kill or maim the slave of another, any more thean any other domestic animal which might belong to someone else. In this sense the slave is accorded some protection from free persons who do not own her in virtue of certain general considerations of property law. The power of the master over the slave, on the other hand, is absolute. He can do whatever he wishes with her. She belongs to him, completely."

- DANCER OF GOR, Pg. 90 - 91

"'Any free man may discipline an insolent or errant slave,' I said, 'even one who is the least bit displeasing, even one he might merely feel like disciplining. If she is killed, or injured, he need only pay compensation to her master, and that only if the master can be located within a specific amount of time and requests such compensation.' In virtue of such customs and statutes the perfect discipline under which Gorean slaves are kept is maintained and guaranteed even when they are not within the direct purview of their masters or their appointed agents."

- PLAYERS OF GOR, Pg. 235

"You cannot punish me!' she cried. 'You are not my masters!''Any free person can punish an errant slave girl,' I said. 'Surely you do not think that her behavior fails to be subject to supervision and correction as soon as she is out of her Master's sight?'"